What's so great about the day shift?

Published

I have been reading about the many RN's that are set against working anything other than days. I went to meet with the CEO of the hospital that I have a contract with and she actually told me that nursing students and new graduates want less to do with bedside care and only want to work days. I guess that is in her experience or maybe I am out of the norm but I would love to work at night from 7-7 or 11-7. It seems like when you work 7am-7pm you miss the whole day by the time you get home and wind down. Am I crazy or am I missing something?

I also wanted to say that this site is great for all nurses but I think it is extra beneficial for nursing students like myself. There is so much good information on a wide variety of topics and it has become part of my routine to read up on all the new chit chat. :) :bow:

TTFN

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I have been reading about the many RN's that are set against working anything other than days. I went to meet with the CEO of the hospital that I have a contract with and she actually told me that nursing students and new graduates want less to do with bedside care and only want to work days. I guess that is in her experience or maybe I am out of the norm but I would love to work at night from 7-7 or 11-7. It seems like when you work 7am-7pm you miss the whole day by the time you get home and wind down. Am I crazy or am I missing something?

I also wanted to say that this site is great for all nurses but I think it is extra beneficial for nursing students like myself. There is so much good information on a wide variety of topics and it has become part of my routine to read up on all the new chit chat. :) :bow:

TTFN

When I first started out and not married, I worked 3-11. That was o.k. Then did my due 11-7 and 7p-7a, then 16 hr. nites.

HATED the graveyards and 16 hr. When children came along, it was almost impossible to have a life, rear them, spend time with them, go to ball games, tap and ballet, music lessons, G.A.'s, Girl Scouts, gymnastics, Child Study Club activities, swimming lessons, choir practice, PTA, other church related activities..........do I need to go on? Nights just did not work and 3-11 was out of the question.

So, naturally I went to days 7-3 and never looked back. Graduated to 8-4 and that was perfect later on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I prefer nights because of the atmosphere; more laid back, more teamwork, less 'suits' around dominating your time. A nurse has more time with their patients who are ill, and the others sleep (we hope) except for the sundowner...LOL!

Lots of nurses prefer days because they sleep normally and are on a similar schedule with their spouse. They like having access to the docs easily (at night one must know their stuff...we're waking the doc up and they never appreciate that) they like being in the middle of all the activity, all the suits and docs around. And last but not least they have more opportunity to schmooze. ;)

Give me night shift any day. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

I think that it depends on the person and what is going on in their life. I personally hate day shift in the hospital. Not the people, but the hours. Im not a morning person at all.

Unfortunately, I live a good distance away from any hospital. In order for me to be at work and ready for day shift, I have to leave my house no later than 530am to reach any hospital in any direction.

I work home care on the weekends, and flexi at a hospital about 35 miles from home. When I work at the hospital, I always sign up to work 3-11, 11-7 or 7p-7a. For the most part, it works well with my family. Both of my boys are in high school, one drives, so he can drive them both to school. When I do work 7a-7p, it does seem like I miss everything for those days. By the time I get home, do the things that have to be done, its time to go to bed.

Some people love it, just their preference.

Now Im going to pout. As I wrote this........ it dawned on my that my baby is officially a Freshman and my oldest is a Junior as of today!!!!!!!!!! :o

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Hello and welcome to the wonderful family of allnurses.com. For most people it is about being able to spend more time with the family others cannot sacrifice the sleep. Enjoy your stay, and best of luck to you. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

When you work nights, you miss the day sleeping it away. Or you force yourself to be a daytime person when you've been awake during the night.

I preferred nights when I was a young new grad and had a great time doing it for the last 14 years. I've since moved on to days because my tired old body started to object and my spouse switched to a daytime job.

I like days because I get more into the same pattern of sleeping the night and being awake during the day. When I worked nights there was a lot of flipflopping back and forth, especially when there were appoints mand errands to run.

The statement that new students and grads want less to do with patient care and only work days doesn't make sense to me. A lot of patient care happens during the day. Seems like she/he is stereotyping new people. Not all people are night shift workers, at any age, I've seen people struggle with it.

Good luck to you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surge.

[quote=

The statement that new students and grads want less to do with patient care and only work days doesn't make sense to me. A lot of patient care happens during the day. Seems like she/he is stereotyping new people. Not all people are night shift workers, at any age, I've seen people struggle with it.

Good luck to you!

I agree Tweety. I work days and do a butt load of pt care (no pun intended). And definately not into smoozing!! I work days #1 b/c I have 2 children and though I miss things on the certain days that I work we end up gettin more time in together in the long run cause Mommy's not so tired. #2 I am not a night person at all. Worked one shift on nights as a CNA and that was enough for me to know I couldn't cut it on nights!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LDRP.

Well for me, I like the collaboration on the day shift. I like the PA's, the doc's, physical therapy, respiratory, all there.

I like that it is more busy during the day. Admissions(we get those at night, but not as many), discharges (rarely at night), people coming back from a cath, etc.

I like the more interaction with the patient as they are actually awake, unlike most of night shift.

And, I hated how night shift made me feel.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

For those of you that work nights, do you have any tips/tricks for staying up all night?? I just don't know if I could do it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If I was going into nursing at a younger age, I probably would prefer to work nights, but I will most likely look for a day shift. While I'm not excited at walking early in the morning, working nights I'd probably be in a fog and I can't function well that way. I totally appreciate all of you nurses who like working nights.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Instructor.

I am a 3-11:30 person myself. As a new nurse, where I work the patient load is smaller in the evenings. Also, my brain does not seem to even turn on much before noon lol. I just recently turned in a request to switch to a day/evening roation. I have 3 kids going back to school in a few weeks and if I stay primarily 3-11 then i will never see them (this is not always a BAD thing lol) But, we'll see how it goes. As an RN, where I work they are desperate during the day for assessment nurses...but second shift is 3 bucks an hour more!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I started this year as a new grad working days and hated it. Couldn't wait to get on permanent nights.

Typical schedule on DAYS

Sun: off

Mon: get up at 5:00, wake son up to feed him, then usually he doesn't want to go back to sleep and cries when I leave, leave at 6:00, work from 7:00-7:30, home at 8:00pm. It is cold and dark when I get up, everyone is asleep or just waking when I leave. I sit in traffic for an hour. Missed my kid's entire day and am completely exhausted, fall asleep around 10:00, get 7 hrs sleep. Try to call during day to chat with husband but he is running around and kids are screaming, plus people are hovering around listening to my every word. Doctors are milling around, ancillary staff is there, management is walking around making me nervous. Try to pump breastmilk for son but never have time. Get home at 8pm, breastfeed son if he's not already asleep. Kids are already in bed or husband rushing around getting them there. He is exhausted, I am exhausted. We fall asleep usually by 10am. Get 7 hrs sleep.

Tues: repeat Monday, don't see family at all, get 7 hrs sleep at night again.

Wed: Have all day and night off

Thurs: Have all day and night off

Friday: repeat Monday, don't see family at all, get 7 hrs sleep

Saturday: Have all day and night off

Now, working nights here is a typical schedule:

Sun: have all day to clean house, lounge around, grocery shop. Take nap from 3pm-5pm. Leisurely early dinner with kids, leave at 6:30 (no traffic at night!). Work at 7pm. Call husband to have leisurely chat around midnight or when I have time. Arrive home at 8am, breastfeed my son. Have some toast, chat with son before bed. Go to bed at 9am.

Mon: (it's now technically Monday since I've been to sleep!) around 12-1, wake up, have lunch with son, hang out for an hour, breastfeed him again. If I'm lucky, he is ready for a nap and we go back to bed together. If not, I go to bed again from 2pm-5pm. I've gotten 6-7 hrs of sleep. I have a nice early dinner with my son. Breastfeed him again. Go back to work, repeat schedule from night before.

Tues: arrive home at 8am, to sleep at 9am. This time I don't go back to work so I wake up around noon. I've only gotten 3-4 hours of sleep but I don't care because I'm off until Friday night!!! Enjoy my day from 1pm-10pm - hours of freedom! I feel pretty good. Go to bed a little early around 10pm.

Wednesday: off all day AND night!

Thursday: off all day AND night!

Friday: off all day, but repeat Sunday's schedule getting ready to return to work.

Anyway, after doing both these schedules I realized I have way more time to do things, way more waking hours free and way more time with my family working nights.

Melissa

I have been reading about the many RN's that are set against working anything other than days. I went to meet with the CEO of the hospital that I have a contract with and she actually told me that nursing students and new graduates want less to do with bedside care and only want to work days. I guess that is in her experience or maybe I am out of the norm but I would love to work at night from 7-7 or 11-7. It seems like when you work 7am-7pm you miss the whole day by the time you get home and wind down. Am I crazy or am I missing something?

I also wanted to say that this site is great for all nurses but I think it is extra beneficial for nursing students like myself. There is so much good information on a wide variety of topics and it has become part of my routine to read up on all the new chit chat. :) :bow:

TTFN

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion